Career path of a Global Supply Manager at Relativity Space
After earning a supply chain management degree and a master's in business analytics, Alexander gained valuable experience through internships at Shell and Becton Dickinson, focusing on procurement and supplier development. Alexander's career progressed through Niagara Bottling's supply chain development program, then back to Becton Dickinson as a procurement project coordinator before holding a senior supply chain planner and buyer role at SpaceX for the Dragon Capsule, and now Alexander is a Global Supply Manager at Relativity Space, "making sure that we are ordering the correct parts that go into the engine" for their launch vehicle.
Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Aerospace Industry, Negotiation, Data Analysis
Advizer Information
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Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
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Alexander Jassemidis
Global Supply Manager
Relativity Space
Arizona State University
Masters of Business Analytics, Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
Industrial, Supply Chain Management
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense, Technology
Operations and Project Management
Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Internship experience is valuable: Alexander had multiple internships at Shell Oil and Gas and Becton Dickinson during college, gaining experience in negotiations and supplier development.
2. Rotational programs offer diverse experience: The Professional Development Program at Niagara Bottling allowed Alexander to rotate through different supply chain roles like production planning and procurement, providing a broad understanding of the field.
3. Supply chain roles involve collaboration with engineering: At SpaceX and Relativity Space, Alexander's roles involved significant interaction with engineers, providing feedback on designs and ensuring manufacturability.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college?
Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
I have a bachelor's in supply chain management and a master's in Business Analytics from ASU. My first internship was between my sophomore and junior year at Shell Oil and Gas in Houston. I worked as a contracted procurement intern, focusing on small-time negotiations for refinery components.
The following summer, I interned with Becton Dickinson in New Jersey. There, I was also a procurement intern, handling large contract negotiations and supplier development for suppliers in Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia.
After my internship at Becton Dickinson, I graduated with my bachelor's and immediately began my master's in Business Analytics in the summer of 2020. During my master's program, I started a full-time position with Niagara Bottling in their Professional Development Program.
At Niagara Bottling, I rotated through different supply chain functions every three months. I worked in production planning, focusing on demand and supply planning for facilities producing water bottles, iced teas, and milk. I also completed rotations in carrier procurement, order management, and material procurement.
After about a year in the development program at Niagara, I returned to Becton Dickinson as a procurement project coordinator. I led procurement efforts for vascular access devices and surgical kits, interfacing with suppliers in China, Germany, the UK, and Ireland. My work involved supplier quality agreements and global supply negotiations for a specific project.
Two years later, I moved to SpaceX in 2023. As a senior supply chain planner and buyer for the Dragon Capsule, I was the main project manager for environmental control and life support systems, as well as mechanisms like doors, windows, and seat actuators. I was responsible for creating demand and supply plans, editing bills of materials, and collaborating with engineering.
I also provided feedback on designs to engineers, leveraging my technical knowledge to assess manufacturability. My daily tasks involved ensuring accurate demand and supply planning for assemblies and negotiating with historical suppliers for parts.
About a year at SpaceX, I joined Relativity Space, where I am currently a global supply manager for the engine team. I manage negotiations for components used in their launch vehicle, Terran R. My focus is on ensuring parts are ordered, delivered on time, and are the correct specifications, while also providing feedback to engineering on manufacturability.
Additionally, I create dashboards to measure supply chain efficiency KPIs, including on-time delivery, defects per million, and should-cost analysis. In essence, my role is to ensure the correct engine parts are ordered, arrive on schedule for assembly, and to develop long-term supplier relationships and cost savings.